Asa Packer News
9/29/2023
Asa Packer News
Please see below for this week's news.
Reminder: There is a noon dismissal on Thursday.
Jesse Ruben
Jesse will be back at Asa Packer on Tuesday to work with all students!
From the PTA
2- Our first Puma Party of the year is scheduled for October 6th. Thank you to the parents that volunteered to make this fun community building event happen!
3- The Scholastic Book Fair will be October 10-13 in the Asa Packer Gym. All students will visit the fair during their weekly Digital Literacy period. Please consider setting up an eWallet for your student. It is a fast convenient and cash free option for students to shop at the fair.
4- The Walk-a-Thon is only 2 weeks away! We are currently 20% of the way toward our goal. Every student that has $25 worth of pledges will receive a mini keychain flashlight and for every $50 worth of pledges students will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win gift cards and Family Fun packs.
5- We are still in need of volunteers for the book fair. Please consider volunteering for a time slot to assist the students in choosing books.
BESS/Review 360 Universal Screener
This was sent home earlier this week.
October 2023
Dear Parents/Guardians,
This school year, several schools in the Bethlehem Area School District, including Asa Packer, will continue to participate in a brief, universal screening program that looks for behavioral, emotional, and motivational strengths and weaknesses. All students in the selected schools will complete brief screening forms during one class period on one occasion during regularly scheduled school activities. This screening has been approved by the Bethlehem Area School District.
Assessing the behavioral and emotional functioning of children and adolescents can be an effective tool in promoting student success. Academic problems, motivational struggles, and social difficulties can be the result of underlying behavioral and emotional challenges. When caught early, these difficulties can be addressed effectively before causing more serious problems.
Participation or refusal to participate will not affect your child’s grades. All information collected will be kept confidential. We hope that you will allow your child to participate, as the district will use this data to address the needs of your own child, as well as to design programs to address the needs of the school and district as a whole. These efforts are part of our continual goal of promoting safe, effective, and healthy schools for all students.
The administration at your child’s school will receive the results of the screening. If your child is demonstrating risk for challenges that could have an impact on school performance, he or she may receive an additional assessment to better understand the nature of the difficulties reported. If this is the case, you will be informed before any further assessments or interventions are conducted, developed, or implemented.
If you do not want your child to complete these screening surveys, or if you have additional questions regarding the screening program, please contact Mr. Horvath or Ms. Birster by Monday, October 2nd.
Attendance Policy Reminders
Please see below for a reminder of the BASD attendance policy.
- If your child(ren) is absent due to ANY illness, the student(s) absence will ONLY be excused if a parent note is submitted within 3 days of your child(ren)’s absence.
- A physician’s note will be required after your child exceeds 10 days of cumulative absences
- Unexcused/unlawful absences include, but are not limited to: Any day, for which a written excuse is not submitted within three (3) school days of a student’s return from an absence, including notes from physicians.
- Any written excuse not approved by the principal.
- Any absence not excused by a physician’s note after ten (10) cumulative absences verified by parental excuses within the same school year.
Absence notes may be emailed directly to the office at asapackerattendance@basdschools.org.
Absences
In the event of an absence, a parent or Dr. note is required. Absence notes may be emailed directly to the office at asapackerattendance@basdschools.org. If you are sending the teacher a Dojo message, an email message to this address should also be completed. A message to this address replaces the need for the blue attendance note.
Leader in Me Habit of the month
BASD Staff and Faculty:
This week's BASD eNews contains information on applying for Teacher Grants through The Foundation for the BASD. Our BASD Spotlight is on a student at LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL, a DINING SERVICE STAFF MEMBER, and a LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE from the CLASS OF 2007. Don't forget to check out the BASD and Community Events section toward the end of the BASD eNews.
I hope you enjoy this edition of the BASD eNews from Dr. Silva.
Contact Information
If you moved over the summer, please submit updated contact information to the Main Office. This will allow mailings to be sent to the correct address. Verification of residency will be needed to update an address in the district system.
From Dining Services
Parking Lot - Arrival/Dismissal Procedures
Review the procedures below, and follow them to ensure our students’ safety at all times.
Please remember:
When dropping off or picking up students by automobile: You may park your car and walk your child across the bus lane; or you may drive up to the student drop-off area, have your child exit the car and walk on the sidewalk next to the building. If you are getting out of your car to assist your child, please park your car in the lot and do not park in the drop-off lane. Do not stop and park in the drop-off lane.
- Students and parents must use the crosswalks at all times.
- Cars are not allowed in the bus lane.
- Park in the designated parking spaces only and not along the curb.
- Walk and get your child(ren) (when picking them up early or at dismissal time).
- Do not leave your child(ren) unattended outside the school, before or after school hours.
- Follow posted signs. They will be enforced.
- No pets are allowed on school property.
Thank you in advance for your assistance and cooperation.
Handicap Parking Spaces
Please don't block entry into the handicap parking spaces during drop off. We have families that need access to the spaces and at times they are unable to pull in due to the spaces being blocked. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Transportation
Any questions pertaining to transportation should be directed to that particular office. Information regarding district transportation for the 2023-2024 school year will be mailed to your home directly from the Transportation Office in mid-August. The Transportation Department can be reached at 610-861-0360.
BASD 2023-2024 Academic Calendar
We Are a ClassDojo School!
- Teachers will communicate to guardians about their “Quiet hours” procedures.
- Teachers will respond to emails/messages within 24 hours during the work week.
- Weekend/holiday messages will be responded to by the end of the next school day.
Asa Packer Elementary School
Email: jchorvath@basdschools.org
Website: https://basdwpweb.beth.k12.pa.us/asapacker/
Location: 1650 Kenwood Drive, Bethlehem, PA, USA
Phone: 610-865-0660
Twitter: @AsaPackerBASD